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The Backwards Edit for Writers
Paul isn’t dead in this one
Editing your work is hard.
Our brains get used to reading our mistakes and our eyes can easily miss grammar and punctuation errors.
I always put a piece to one side for a day or so before doing a final edit. You’re far more likely to find the smaller mistakes by putting some distance between you and your work.
But it’s not always possible to put a piece of work to one side. We don’t always have the time to let things sit. I’m struggling with this at the moment.
I’ve set myself the challenge of 5 Medium posts a week by writing and posting one story each weekday, and it’s tough.
I hate the thought of having to edit and post something on the same day that I’ve written it, but it was the only way I could think of to break some of my bad habits.
Not submitting my work because it’s not quite good enough yet, for example.
I’m squirming at the thought of all the typos swimming around in my posts.
You’ll probably spot a few here — sorry!
If we don’t have the time to put things to one side, then what other methods can help us edit more effectively?
